Unchained Melody (Daniel Ricciardo)

Vacation

"I don't think you'll need all those bikini's baby. I doubt we will be wearing much clothes while we are there." Daniel smirks.
They are packing for the Maldives and he is watching Ayla throw in the fifth bikini in her suitcase.

"Well at some point we will go in public right? I mean sure we have the sea around the cabana, but we might want to go to the beach. And I'm not walking around there naked."
Ayla grabs the last bikini she bought in Perth the other day. A turquoise, skimpy bikini, Daniel picked.

These last days Daniel has been insatiable. As if losing his seat made him hornier than ever.
Not that she is complaining, but she thought he would make her walk funny during their stay in the Maldives, but he seemed to have already started.

They haven't heard from Zak or Blake yet, but they do know Blake has been on the phone with McLarens team principal almost daily, trying to get Zak to come up with a deal Daniel can accept.

Blake did tell them that Zak tried to make Blake agree with the ten million, but Blake was very quick with cutting Zak off.
"I told him that Ayla made it very clear that there will be no negotiations for less than three times that amount."

They could hear the laugh in Blake's voice when he told them that. Blake already liked Ayla, but she just grew on him a lot more during this summer break. She was very clear and what Zak could do with his ten million. One suggestion was, shoving it where the sun don't shine.

It's good to know that Daniel has her on his side, his friend can be too nice sometimes, accepting less than he should, but Ayla won't let him, that's for sure.

Blake did hope he could have things settled before they would leave for their little tropical getaway, but so far he hasn't had any luck.
He expects Zak to take the deal, he is just dragging it out, hoping Daniel will get nervous and take the lower offer.

But in the end it's McLaren who wants to get rid of Daniel. Not the other way around. So if they want to buy him out of his contract, they will have to pay for it.

"I might have to leave some clothes here. I don't have enough space in my suitcase to fit everything in." Ayla says as she looks at her suitcase which is already filled to the brim.
"That's fine. It's not like you'll never come back here right?"

Somehow he still sounds uncertain even though he should know by now that Ayla is not planning on leaving him. Ever.

"I'm not even going to answer that. You should know better by now." Ayla answers dryly.
Daniel smiles, of course he knows, he just gets these waves of insecurity washing over him which make him doubt if he is good enough for her.
"I know. I'm being stupid."

Ayla manages to close her suitcase before she turns to the man she loves so deeply.
"Don't ever say that about yourself. We agreed we both wouldn't talk negatively about ourselves remember?"

She is right, they did. They both have their moments where they don't find that they are good enough for the other. But they are now trying to accept that they are.

As if he waited for it, as soon as Ayla's suitcase is closed, Blake calls Daniel.
Immediately, the atmosphere in the room changes. From being relaxed and excited for the trip to the Maldives, to being tense and nervous for what Blake has to say.

Daniel doesn't waste time answering though. He is hoping Blake will finally have an answer so he can start looking to the future and try to find another team to drive for.

"Blake hi, please tell me you have some good news." Daniel says after putting the phone on speaker.
"That depends on how big your next mansion needs to be." Blake tries to crack a joke.
"What do you mean with that?"
Daniel is annoyed. He just wants a straight answer, especially when it comes to his contract ending.